


Revolution is Evolution With An R

by SaraJaye



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: Character Development, Friendship, Kissing, M/M, Post-Series, Romance, Talking, Touga's Redemption Arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:37:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only a handful of them remember when the woods behind the school were more. Touga and Saionji discuss the year following the Revolution.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revolution is Evolution With An R

**Author's Note:**

> _Shoujo Kakumei Utena, any, in the woods behind the school (there's no dueling arena any more)_

Anyone new to Ohtori Academy only sees vast woods, trees and wild animals and loganberry bushes as far as the eye can see. But certain people remember when it was more.

"It's still so strange to come here and not see it," Saionji remarks as he leans against the trunk of a sycamore tree. "Remember my first duel with her, Touga? How she was naive enough to bring a practice foil to a real duel, and still managed to beat me."

"Even back then she was someone special." Touga steps forward to pluck a fallen leaf from the other's hair; last week the leaves were radiant shades of orange, now they've started to turn brown. Soon there won't be any left until spring. "It'll be a year this March," he murmurs. "Do you ever miss how things used to be?"

"I'm not sure anymore." Saionji's hand reaches out to touch his. "Do you miss her?"

"She was the first girl I truly loved. But prince or no prince, it was the reason we could never work that I loved her." The former Student Council president moves closer, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders. "She helped me realize how much I missed others, though."

Saionji's brow furrows as his cheeks redden slightly. Touga's been much more earnest in the days following the revolution, showing a side of him even Utena Tenjou once got only a small glimpse of. He's not suddenly a different man, but the change is enough for Saionji to feel he can believe him when he says they're friends.

"Do tell," he says, leaning against Touga slightly.

"You know who I mean." There's still an edge of the old playboy in there, but the accompanying touch to his cheek says it all. Saionji tilts his head up and their lips meet briefly, not for the first time since the Revolution. "You've changed too, Saionji. You seem less...angry."

"Less of a reason to be." He leans in closer, a contented smile on his face. "Sometimes I wonder what happened to us in all that time. How we let ourselves be trapped in those coffins."

"Unresolved issues," Touga sighs. "We tried to use them as a weapon rather than facing them. In saving the Rose Bride she saved everyone." Juri smiles more, Shiori speaks more frankly to her, Nanami and Keiko are giving their friendship another try, Kozue is playing the piano again. "I wonder if she was really so naive in the end. If she perhaps saw us for what we truly were."

"I think at times you give her too much credit," Saionji chuckles. "She broke the shell, but we've had to do all the rest of the work."

"Yes, but hasn't it been worth it?" Touga leans in for another kiss. "I'd work my fingers to the bone for this, Saionji." He draws his friend closer, cheek resting against his hair. Saionji's eyes close, his hand toying with the trim of Touga's uniform.

"Very much so."

The dueling arena is gone, but no one can say they miss it. The woods bring color, life and mend broken people. As the trees and bushes and animals grow, so does the populace of Ohotori Academy.


End file.
